Illinois basketball’s recruiting picture has one name sitting above the rest: Brady Pettigrew.
The Illini are still without a commitment in the class of 2028, but Pettigrew has become the prospect to watch if Brad Underwood wants to make a real statement on the recruiting trail. He is the kind of target who changes the conversation for a class, and Illinois appears to view him that way.
That case got even stronger on Wednesday when 247Sports refreshed its class of 2028 rankings. Pettigrew climbed from No. 18 nationally to No. 10, keeping his five-star status while also moving to No. 1 among combo guards and remaining the top player in Illinois.
Updated and expanded national 2028 rankings are now live on the @247Sports site. https://t.co/aqGbH50h5V pic.twitter.com/oZVYue8VYC
- Adam Finkelstein (@AdamFinkelstein) October 21, 2026
For Illinois, Pettigrew is the priority. Landing him would give the program a centerpiece for the future and create a clean bridge from the current national title-expecting roster to the next wave.
There is also a wrinkle that could make him even more valuable to the Illini: Pettigrew could reclassify into 2027. If that happens, his timeline would shift up and his impact would arrive sooner for Underwood.
Illinois already has two four-star pledges in the 2027 class in Quinton Kitt and Mason Martin. Both fit in the backcourt or on the wing, which gives the group some useful depth.
Pettigrew would raise that class fast and push it into top-10 territory. At the moment, Illinois sits at No. 26 nationally for 2027.
Still, Pettigrew is not the only major name on the board. Illinois also has an official visit lined up with power forward Benjamin Berrouet, who checks in at No. 5 in the updated rankings. He profiles as a dangerous wing or frontcourt piece for the Orange and Blue.
Then there is Dylan Betts, the 7-foot-3 center who visited Illinois unofficially about a month ago and has stayed on the radar since. Betts would give the Illini the kind of interior presence that could round out the 2028 class.
Even with those other targets in play, the equation is simple: Pettigrew comes first. If Illinois lands him, the possibilities for both the 2027 and 2028 classes open up in a big way.
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